April 24, 2012
A TOUGH DRAW
U.S. women to play France, Colombia, North Korea in the Olympics

The two-time defending champion United States certainly will have its work cut out for itself at the Summer Olympics.

The American women will kick off the Olympic women’s soccer tournament against France in Glasgow, Scotland on July 25.

The Americans, the top seeded team in Group G, also will play Colombia in Glasgow on July 28 and North Korea in Manchester on July 31.

Canada, the other CONCACAF Olympic representative, will play in Group F with defending Women’s World Cup champion Japan, Sweden and South Africa.

The Canadians will play Japan in Coventry on July 25 and South Africa at the same venue on July 28 before completing its group stage against Sweden at St. James Park in Newcastle on July 31.

The Olympic groups:

Group E: Great Britain, New Zealand, Cameroon, Brazil

Group F: Japan, Canada, Sweden, South Africa

Group G: USA, France, Colombia, Korea DPR

The women’s gold-medal match is at Wembley on Aug. 9.